Club Shay Shay - Alvin Kamara

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Starting point is 00:00:57 app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, I'm Shannon Sharp. Welcome to Club Che Che. I am your host, also the proprietor of Club Che Che. The guy that's stopping by for a drink and conversation today is 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year. He's been a pro bowler every year he's been in the NFL. That's four times. He's a two-time All-Pro. He's the first running back to have 500 receiving yards, 500 rushing yards in each of his first four seasons. And he's the second player in NFL history to score six touchdowns in a game.

Starting point is 00:01:27 Alvin Kamara. All my life, all my life, been grinding all my life. Sacrifice, hustle paid the price. Want a slice, got to roll the dice. That's why all my life, I've been grinding all my life. Is it Kamara or Kamara? I say Kamara. My mama say Kamara. I don't know. Kamara, come off your tongue.

Starting point is 00:02:01 All right. Bro, how you doing? I'm doing good, man. Blessed, blessed. We're going to talk about off the field before we get on the field. Now, I read that you invested in Killer Mike's. He started something called Greenwood. Can you explain to the people that's listening what exactly is it?

Starting point is 00:02:20 So what we're doing with Greenwood, it's basically a platform for banking for minorities. You know, we're targeting African-American and Latino communities. Like I said, minorities and just giving them access to banking. You know. We closed Series A funding at $40 million. And that's the largest in fintech history. So we're doing some good things. You know, our community, and I'm talking about the Black community, we haven't had access to quality loans and fair interest rates. And, you know, this bank was created for Black people by Black people.

Starting point is 00:03:07 Right now, we've got about 500,000 people on the waiting list to open the camps. We're about 100 days away from launching. We got some of the biggest banks invested with Chase, JP Morgan, Bank of America. And I mean, it's all about, you know, just leveling the playing field, you know, just giving us the opportunity to be able to have access and to not only the banking platform, but have access to the knowledge, have access and to not only the the banking platform but have access to the knowledge you know to to give our community knowledge to know what's going on and know what's going on with our money honestly um i think the best thing about atlanta is that i can say being from georgia lived in atlanta for a quarter century is that a lot of times the power players and the professional athletes they have no problem collabing and you know you see what killer mike did and the black turnout for the

Starting point is 00:03:50 voting the vote uh get out to vote and you see what they're doing in their communities what made why were you so interested how did you meet up with killer mike and get involved in this program man so i i got involved with it actually through Ryan Glover and Killer Mike and all of them. They all partnered together. But obviously just want to do good in the community and, you know, being blessed and being able to have

Starting point is 00:04:14 the financial success that we have. I mean, it's just a no brainer to, you know, be able to educate and provide a platform to our community to help them be able to uplift and elevate themselves and to be able to have an opportunity to get to the level of success that we have. You know, it's tons of talented people in our community that don't have access to the proper loans. You know, I mean, there's tons of people in our communities that don't have access or the knowledge to bank properly and really don't know how the banking system works.

Starting point is 00:04:50 I mean, basically, higher circulation of the dollar in the Black community will elevate the Black lives. So that's what we're trying to do. I mean, in our our community a dollar circulates zero to one time and that's it's it's sad honestly um and a lot of that has to do with the knowledge and a lot of a lot of it has to do with the access and the opportunity um like i said with this platform it's given our communities access and opportunity and equal opportunity to be able to do all those things you mentioned mentioned that Killer Mike is a part of this. You said you got introduced to this program by

Starting point is 00:05:28 Ryan Glover, also former Atlanta mayor and U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young. Andy Young, civil rights icon there in Atlanta, is also a part of this program. Alvin, do you feel a sense of responsibility because you're the one of one of the ones that made it out and maybe helped some of the less fortunate that didn't get that opportunity or doesn't have the opportunity to say go to a a traditional bank and get the and get the means to maybe start a business or maybe buy a home or buy a car do you feel somewhat of a responsibility to give back yeah i definitely do i think i think it's important because you know somebody, somebody like the younger generation that's coming up under me, and I'm young, but somebody looking at me like I'm a leader and I'm a role model, you know, they can learn so much. how I dish it out. So, you know, something like this that actually has an impact on your life. I mean, this is your financial security, the knowledge, just to be able to know what you're

Starting point is 00:06:32 doing within banking. And, you know, when I was younger, I didn't really have a lot of access to a lot of this knowledge. It was given to me as I got older. And I didn't have a bank account until I was in high school. I mean, until I got to college. You know, my first sophomore year in college, that's when I first really got a bank account and, you know, getting to the league and that's when I really got the knowledge of taxes and loans and interest rates

Starting point is 00:06:56 and things like that. So this platform is to give, to empower, you know, everyone, not only just younger people, but everyone and you know, show them that it is accessible. It is possible to be able to, you know, have access to these things, man. It's important. You also have another endeavor.

Starting point is 00:07:16 You all opened a juice bar in New Orleans. Why juice bar? And what type of atmosphere? Do people party? Because you remember the daiquiri bars that I know, they're like a hangout spot. You just don't go get your drink and leave. You get your drink and stay and you shoot pool

Starting point is 00:07:34 or you hang out with your friends. You grab a bite to eat. So is it that type of juice bar? No, so it's cold pressed juice, man. And I've been passionate about juicing since, I mean, I was in college, you know, it's your health. Your health is your wealth. So, you know, once I got-

Starting point is 00:07:52 So you're a big juicer? Yeah, I actually am. Okay. Yeah, so once I got the opportunity to get into this, man, it was a no brainer. My partner, Ashton Kree, he, you know, like I said, presented this idea to me. He already had it going. It already was kind of running, and he was just like, man, if you want

Starting point is 00:08:10 to be involved, I'm giving you, you know, green light. You know, you can go as far as you want to go with it, or, you know, you can kind of just, you know, come in and just watch and learn, and I'm like, yo, if I'm going to be involved, I'm be involved i'm going 100 so you know now i'm owner of uh part of the brand so it's huge i mean and the atmosphere that i want to create in there is you know the second atmosphere you was talking about but i'm saying so the story that i do i built it from the ground up drew the plans and cut the concrete digging and digging in the ground, finding pipes, literally put my sweat and my time into it because

Starting point is 00:08:50 I'm passionate about whatever I'm involved in, and if I'm not, then I'm not doing it. Go ahead, Sam. I was going to ask you, what got you into juicing? And what made you start juicing? You've been a big juicer. You started juicing in college, which is rare

Starting point is 00:09:06 because normally guys, you know, you go to the training table, you can eat as much as you want. And juicing, obviously there was no juicing when I was going on. Orange juice, apple juice, but that was out of a carton or a jug. What made you start to get into juicing?

Starting point is 00:09:19 Man, so I really just kind of did my own research on it. And I was just figuring out like just new ways to, you know, get an edge, like just be more healthy, you know, because, I mean, it's easy to just eat whatever and drink whatever. And, you know, we young, it's like, all right, well, I'll be good. Like I'll still be able to, I can stay up all night and go to this 5 a.m. workout and get it in and go to class and keep running, like running on fumes, but I'll be all right. But I was like, man, I can't do that. I got gotta find a different route you know so you know I kind of did some research I was doing some research in my free time and you know juicing kept coming up juicing like you know carrots celery and cold

Starting point is 00:09:56 press and all the nutrients that come from it you know that a couple bottles of juice is like pounds of protein and produce and things like this i'm like man i can drink it instead of eating it but still still eat you know still eat right and then get the juice is just a bonus so you know that's i've always been into it and i've kind of tried to stick to it so the juice bar was just a plus i'm like now i got i don't even gotta i don't even gotta go pay for juice i got a whole juice bar yeah i like using also but the cleanup is what i don't even got to go pay for juice. I got a whole juice bar. Yeah, I like juicing also, but the cleanup is what I don't like. Yeah, I know. That's why I got to do production for me.

Starting point is 00:10:32 So in the process of juicing, do you still eat meat? Are you pescatarian? Do you only eat like fish, seafood? Do you eat red meat? Do you not eat pork? So what does the Alvin Kamara diet consist of man so i haven't eaten pork since eighth grade um red meat i don't eat a lot of i actually went vegan uh like a year and a half ago i went vegan and kind of played with the vegan and plant-based like

Starting point is 00:10:58 pescatarian lifestyle just kind of going jumping back and forth from between vegan and you know pescatarian and just staying kind of plant-based and you know I mean it makes a difference you know my body is like your body is your temple and then especially you know Shannon you play um you got to take care of your body you got to fuel it right you got to treat it right so you know I just made sure I was kind of getting the right balance of you know what I needed so So, you know, when I'm training, I'm pretty much plant-based and keep everything clean, pretty vegan for the most part. And I'll switch it up every now and then. And, you know, I'll have some fish

Starting point is 00:11:33 or some, you know, some seafood and things like that. Rarely eat meat. But, you know, I wouldn't say I'm super strict on it, but I'm pretty disciplined. Yeah, but so, but how does your body feel? Because I remember Arian Foster had a great career,

Starting point is 00:11:49 and then all of a sudden he switched up and went totally vegan, and he, like, crashed and burned. He was never the same player that he was. And so I'm wondering, with the physicality in which you play, you're a running back. Now, if you're a kicker, a punter, yeah, you can do that. Maybe even a quarterback. But with the kind of pounding that you take, that you're touching theer, a punter, yeah, you can do that. Maybe even a quarterback. But with the kind of pounding that you take,

Starting point is 00:12:06 that you're touching the ball 20, 25 times a game, how does that work for you, taking that kind of pounding? Yeah, I mean, I was vegan last year. Okay. Last season. So I didn't – I felt great as far as the load and everything. I felt good. I was fine.

Starting point is 00:12:22 I don't think it really... If you do it right, I think the benefits outweigh the risk of it. A lot of people, like you just said with Arian, a lot of people talk about if you go vegan, there's a lot of downside to it. You don't get the proper protein. I think he went totally vegan, Alvin.

Starting point is 00:12:39 I think he cut meat out all together and he was just eating plants and the seeds and things of that nature. I think you've got to have some animal protein. Now, I'm not saying it needs to be a turkey or chicken or from a cow or a hog, but you need some protein. You need something solid if you're going to take that kind of collision on a weekly basis.

Starting point is 00:13:00 Yeah, so the first, I think, three or four games, I was completely vegan. Uh-huh. So I was fine. And then I kind of, you know, just personally, not like I didn't feel like, oh, I think, three or four games, I was completely vegan. Uh-huh. So I was fine. And then I kind of, you know, just personally, not like I didn't feel like, oh, I need to eat some meat. But I was like, I'll just mix in some fish here and there and some shrimp, like seafood and just get some meat in.

Starting point is 00:13:15 Okay. And, you know, I was still juicing and I had my supplements on the side. So I felt good, man. And, you know, I'm back training. I'm going to stick to the script kind of what I've been doing. What does the Alvin Camaro workout? What does that consist of? So how do you break it up? I mean, I was a run in the morning, lift in the afternoon, things of that nature.

Starting point is 00:13:36 So how do you split your training up? Yeah. So me, shoot, when I get back to training, I'm up at four 30 in the morning every day. So I run, I run and lift in the morning. Okay. Take a little break, get back to training, I'm up at 4.30 in the morning every day. So I run and lift in the morning. Okay. Take a little break, get back, eat some breakfast. By 8 o'clock, 8.30, on my second session, I'm with my guys, all those videos that go viral, me balancing, doing things like that.

Starting point is 00:14:01 I'm there from 8.30, 9 o'clock to probably about noon you know just fine tuning you know just core stability um balance hand-eye coordination just you know tuning up all the little things you know right yet you know a lot of people don't really focus on that's what i'm that's what i'm into so you know that's kind of like my day i'm done about 1 o'clock 1 30 every day and you know whatever else i gotta do take care of my body whether it's treatments needles uh massage anything i just kind of relax and you 1.30 every day, and, you know, whatever else I got to do to take care of my body, whether it's treatments, needles, massage, anything, I just kind of relax, and, you know, that's every day for me.

Starting point is 00:14:30 Well, as I was transitioning away from football, the hyperbaric chamber, the high-altitude training, the tent, you know, guys started buying those machines. Do you believe in those? Do you have one of those? How much time do you spend spend it if you do have it man I actually haven't really gotten into the hyperbaric chamber thing but you know all the all the other you know normatex and and game readies I'm real into that I mean recovery you

Starting point is 00:14:57 got to recover once you break down you got to recover and right it's and I tell this to people during the season and like man man, how your body feels? I'm like, man, it feels good. I done got it back to, it's a race to get to as close to 100% as you can every week. You know, it's a long season and you know, sometimes it's not about talent.

Starting point is 00:15:17 It's about who's more healthy. Right, being available. And I'm like, yo, I'm telling you, it's about who's healthier. And guys, a lot of my friends, they can't really conceptualize it. And I'm like, yo, I'm telling you, it's about who's helping you. And guys, a lot of my friends, they can't really conceptualize it. And I'm like, man, I'm telling you, it's a grind. So you got to take care of your body. So I've been looking into it.

Starting point is 00:15:35 You've been looking into it? Yeah. They work. Trust me. Trust me, Alvin. They work. I wish I would have had the knowledge at the end of my career, I had at the beginning, to spend that kind of time and understanding

Starting point is 00:15:50 because training is so specialized now. It wasn't like that when I got started. It started to taper towards that. But how soon after the game is over do you start preparing your body for the next week? Oh, man, it's immediate like so i get done you know depending on what time we get done i might get some work after the game just to get a head start um right you know we off days and tuesdays mondays usually we're off when we um when we win so i got my my the guy that comes in and does my body work, he's there, he's there Sunday, Monday. So if it's anything, any attention that I have anywhere on my body, so I might get, I might hit him Sunday night, like, hey, let's get in here and, you know, my feet or, you know, my hamstring was a little tight from last game or let's, you know, let's get a good stretch and kind of like a flush and then Monday we'll hit it hard and, you know, fine tune some of the kinks that we need to get right before we get back started for the week.

Starting point is 00:16:46 But, I mean, if you do it right, I mean, you know, you put yourself in the best position to be, you know, successful and be active on Sunday. Are you a big cold, cold bath, cold tub guy? Because after the game, especially at home, not so much on the road, but we would do it some on the road. We would get – as soon as the game was over, we'd go get into the cold tank. Yeah, I don't do it some on the road. We would get as soon as the game was over, we'd go get into the cold tank.

Starting point is 00:17:06 Yeah, I don't do it right after the game. I think I'm more into that during the week, especially in camp. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a must. You know it. In camp, I'm really on it. During the season, I do it kind of as needed.

Starting point is 00:17:23 After the game, it's not so much, but it helps. It works, so I do it like kind of, you know, as needed. After the game, it's not so much. But, I mean, it helps. It works. So, you know, I do it. Your love with NASCAR. You were able to sponsor. You got your emblem, your logo from your juice bar on the NASCAR and Infinity Series. Where did the love of NASCAR, and I tell people this, I'm from Georgia.

Starting point is 00:17:42 You and I, we're both from Georgia. You're from North Cross. I'm from Georgia you and I from we're both from Georgia you're from North Cross I'm from South Georgia but NASCAR used to be big used to be big because you couldn't go to a corner store without seeing a toy a scale car or a bandana or something

Starting point is 00:17:58 NASCAR on it yeah I mean so for me it kind of just started like during the quarantine with this with the pandemic going on. And I've always seen NASCAR. You know, you flip through the channels and you might see a race and you're just like, oh, the car's going in circles. I'm like, all right.

Starting point is 00:18:13 You know, I just get done working out. I'm sitting at the house. I'm like, let me see what's up with this NASCAR. Like, let me just watch it and really try to understand it. And I'm watching and I'm hearing everything they're talking about. And I'm like, yo, there's more to it than just driving around this track. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You got sponsors and technicians telling you,

Starting point is 00:18:29 oh yeah, absolutely. You got to conserve fuel. Uh-huh, so I'm in Miami, I'm like, let me see if this is a race, like what race track is this here? Let me see if it's a race. And it just so happened that it was a race two days, you know, it was a Tuesday, yeah, homestead. It was maybe a Tuesday, happened that there was a race two days you know it was a Tuesday at Homestead

Starting point is 00:18:46 it was maybe a Tuesday I think it was a race on Thursday or something or it was a Thursday and it was a race on Saturday so I hit up NASCAR I'm just like let me see I'm gonna see if I can get to the race let me go to the race so I go to the race and after that I was hooked I'm like yo this is serious like you know I got a chance to meet with Steve Phelps who was the president and you And, you know, I sat in the box and, you know, talk to, you know, all the personnel and, you know, Bubba, obviously with everything that he was going through. I knew Bubba from Tennessee when I was at University of Tennessee. And, you know, just kind of, you know, what he was going through. I definitely wanted to go for that reason also. And, you know, I just kind of got my intro into it and it was accelerated and you know I

Starting point is 00:19:26 ain't looked back since are you surprised the thing that I tell people that's never been to a NASCAR you don't realize how fast the cars are going and how close they actually are TV doesn't do it justice no TV don't do it justice justice at all so that's why like even now people still ask me like man you really like going to the races? I'm like, yo, if you want to go to a race, I will take you to a race with me. Just let me know if you guys are free time. Because, like you said, you really don't know until you go. I'm like, I went to – where did I go?

Starting point is 00:19:58 I went to Bristol, and I stood right on the wall. Right. You know what I'm saying? Right down on the track. And to feel that breeze when they come – to feel that breeze when they come by. Yeah, you feel like your heart about to pop out your chest. It's crazy how these dudes is really skilled. Like they got real talent, man.

Starting point is 00:20:18 It's not just driving around the track. These dudes is really like, really, really specialized in what they're doing. And it's, I mean, it's beauty in it. Like it would like any sport. Yeah, because they, the speed, if the speed limit is 70, 70, 75, you figured they're going double that.

Starting point is 00:20:34 And they're like four inches apart. Exactly, even four probably an inch, an inch and a half. And there might be three, four wide doing that. Exactly, so I mean, it's so many components to the sport. And it's like, man, I don't know. At first I couldn't keep up. It's slowing down for me, but it's still so much. I'm still learning.

Starting point is 00:20:57 Your season. Obviously it didn't go the way you would hope. You got off to such a great start. You guys were playing well. What happened? What happened in that Tampa game? Because up until then, you know, Drew got injured. We'll talk about Drew a little bit.

Starting point is 00:21:11 But up until then, you had guys that were playing really well. You got, you know, you got Tampa. You had blown them out. You had beaten them both times. The second time you had dismantled, completely taken them apart. And you get them back in your building for the divisional round. What went wrong man i think and you you know more than anyone i said and i think when one team is more prepared

Starting point is 00:21:33 than the other i mean it's kind of like what can you do uh you know we came in we felt good uh and everybody talks about you know it's hard to be the team it's it's already hard to be the team once it's hard to be the team it's hard to be the team. It's already hard to be the team once. It's hard to be the team twice. It's almost impossible to be the team three times, blah, blah, blah. Like, you know, I don't think we were really concerned with that. It's just, man, like, I really – I couldn't even tell you, man. We felt good, and we thought we were prepared,

Starting point is 00:22:03 and it just turned out that they were more prepared than us, and I guess they had a better plan and I guess knew what they were knew what they were doing in that in that instance you said better prepared um you guys I mean Sean Payton is as good as it comes to X's and O's offensively you guys you know you you do what you do you know you try to push the ball down the field you get play action they try to get you in space on those linebackers what was so different because you know obviously and I've always felt this way alvin i've always felt the team that lost has an advantage over the team that won because their coaches can tell them well see this is why we lost the game but when you win what do you correct we scored 38 we went up and down the field we We blew them out.

Starting point is 00:22:45 So what actually are we correcting? And sometimes I think the winning team, you take that for granted. We're going to show, oh, we just got their number. And the team that lost, like, no, you don't. We just make a correction here or there, and then you get that outcome. Yeah. I mean, it's true. For one, it wasn't a slouch that we lost to.

Starting point is 00:23:07 You know, those guys over there. They did win the Super Bowl. Exactly. You know, especially, I mean, Bruce and Tom and those guys, I mean, they definitely professionals in their own right. And like you said, when a team loses, you go back in that room, it's dark and you're figuring it out. Like, why did we lose and how can we prevent losing again?

Starting point is 00:23:29 And I think they figured out what it was and kind of just, they just went all in. Bucks defense, how good was the Bucks defense the third time around, as opposed to the first two times around? Yeah, saying they was tired of getting their ass whooped. Literally. They was tired of getting their ass whooped. Literally, they was tired of getting their ass whooped, and they played like it. They played like a defense that was like,

Starting point is 00:23:52 hey, we talked about this all week, and we talked about not letting it happen. It's not going to happen. Respect to those dudes because, I mean, it wasn't like they were sorry the first two times we played them. We just had their number. But, I mean, that third time around, they made sure they were like, yo, everything that they were doing to us before is not going to happen again.

Starting point is 00:24:09 And they had a plan and they executed it. It was about execution with them. And they executed their plan to a tee. You played your first four years of your career. You played with arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Drew Brees. We know what he meant to that community. We know what he meant to that community. We know what he meant to the city of New Orleans,

Starting point is 00:24:28 and we know what he meant to that organization. How different is it going to be moving forward with possibly Taysom Hill or Jameis Winston as your starting quarterback? I mean, you just talked about all those things. I mean, the community, the organization. I mean, what he did for football, period. Drew's like, he's

Starting point is 00:24:48 a guy, he's not a guy that you can replace, if it makes sense. I mean, obviously you replace him at the position, but Drew is the type of person where his presence is going to be missed. It's already different, and we're not even in the facility right now.

Starting point is 00:25:03 I just know that him not being there is going to be weird for all of us. But, you know, I mean, Drew left his mark. I mean, on all of us, I think he left his mark on me. Maybe he lended a piece of himself to me and helped make me the player that I am right now. I mean, he guided me through my first four years of the league and, you know, allowed me to be able to be the player that i am and be

Starting point is 00:25:25 expressive and and you know be comfortable in in in every situation whether we're up down uh to injured he helped me i'm like anything so um that's a guy that you can't replace but you know like you said jamison chase him those two guys guys, I mean, they've gained some respect in their own right. Jamison led a Tampa team before he got to New Orleans. Taysom has been a part of our offense for the past four years. And, you know, when his number's called, he does what he's supposed to do. So it's just going to be a battle between those two to see who's going to take down.

Starting point is 00:26:03 When you watch Drew prepare, first in, last out, the meticulousness, the fine-tuning of what he does, how did that help you in your game? Man, from day one when I stepped into the last game of the season this year, Drew prepared every single day like it was a game. I watched his man come in. When I come in the building, he's in there watching film. He done ate breakfast. He done did everything. I've never seen somebody be so dedicated. And sometimes I feel, I think about it and I'm like, damn, he more dedicated than me. But then I'm like, damn, that's Drew Brees.

Starting point is 00:26:45 to me but then I'm like damn that's Drew Brees and I'm like well I'm like well if I'm gonna if I'm gonna be if I'm gonna contribute to a man that is so dedicated and so fine-tuned and so locked in then what am I gonna have what what am I gonna have to do like what what how responsible how responsible am I gonna have to be right and you know that kind of like molded my mindset when I got to from my rookie year to now it's like okay well Drew's 10 steps ahead I got to be 10 steps ahead and once I'm 10 steps ahead Drew is going to be another 10 steps ahead of me but at least I'll be out shoot I'm I'm trying to like walk in his footsteps like a little kid right just try to be on the same page as him because I know he's prepared for every situation. I know he's played it over in his head. He's made a plan for anything that could possibly happen.

Starting point is 00:27:30 Like, man, I've seen this guy draw stuff up in the dirt and be dead on and spot on. And, you know, it's like a testament to how he prepares because every day is like I'm playing in the Super Bowl and I'm playing for my kids, my family, my city, like everything. I've never seen somebody so like honed in and locked in. I think that is the blessing that you have, especially when you're dealing with a quarterback.

Starting point is 00:27:53 Your quarterback is great. He will pull or push you to greatness because you see how he prepares. And you say, well, hold on. If he's prepared like that, what's expected of me? How can I give less than him? Yeah, exactly. And I think that helped a lot of guys on our team. That helped me tremendously.

Starting point is 00:28:13 I mean, obviously, a lot of people see the success I've had, and they're like, oh, man, you've done this, you've done that. I'm like, man, wait, hold on. It's dudes over here that's really like – you're clapping for them. I'm like, the Sean Paytons and the Drew B's really like, you're clapping for them, like the Sean Paytons and the Drew Breeses and, you know, these Ted Gins that, you know, that I play with, the Mark Ingrams, like guys like that, they're in that category that, you know, are selfless and prepare and do what they're supposed to do.

Starting point is 00:28:36 Obviously, Drew, I think, is up here, and I think all those guys would agree that he's an anomaly. Like, he stands alone in that category. Well, only one guy can start, either Taysom or Jameis. Both of these guys are coming back. Obviously, you can't say you got a preference, but what does your gut tell you? Who do you think is going to win this job?

Starting point is 00:28:59 Because Sean Payton said the job is up for grabs. I'm not anointing anyone. We're going to have a camp. We're going to have a competition, and the best man will win. Yeah. That doesn't tell me anything right now. I think Jameis, with it being his second year in the program,

Starting point is 00:29:14 I think he's more comfortable. I mean, anytime it's your first year somewhere, you know, you're trying to figure it out, figure out personalities, figure out playbook, figure out coaches. Just, you know, find your lane and carve out your lane. And one thing about Jameis, I think he's very comfortable with who he is. He knows who he is, and he's very comfortable with his abilities.

Starting point is 00:29:31 He knows what his strengths and weaknesses are. And, I mean, like I said before, once you learn what you're supposed to be doing, why you're supposed to be doing it, I think that allows everything else to, you know, add on to be an addition to your game. So Jameis, year two, I think he'll be doing it, I think that allows everything else to, you know, add on to be an addition to your game. So, Zamasu, year two, I think he'll be more comfortable and he'll be able to, you know, showcase exactly, you know, what his body of work is. Taysom, we've seen Taysom, we've seen Taysom play. We've had a taste of Taysom, not only from the past three years that he's been on our team contributing, but, you know, this year actually being the leader

Starting point is 00:30:07 and being the starting quarterback, you know. And I think the same thing goes for Taysom. He knows what his strengths and weaknesses are. He's a competitor. I think he's a leader also. So, like, exactly what Sean said, I think is the statement that's true. It's really up for grabs. So I think it's just going to come down to

Starting point is 00:30:25 who really steps up and takes a hold of the team as a whole because, like I said, Drew is a boy that I don't think is going to be, it's not easy to be filled. I don't think it can, there will never be another Drew Brees.

Starting point is 00:30:42 But, you know, whoever is the most comfortable in being themselves and finding their own way to take hold of the team and embrace their role as the new quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, I think that's who's going to win the quarterback battle. Talk to me. You're standing on the sideline, and it's the vision around the playoffs in Tampa,

Starting point is 00:31:01 but it's just not Tampa. It's Tom Brady. It's the aura of Tom Brady, knowing that, man, that joke going to lose in these spots right here. So going into the game, what, when you, you're watching, you're standing on the sideline and you're watching him do what he does. What's going through your mind. It's Tom Brady and he, he ready and he's not playing.

Starting point is 00:31:22 So we got to bring our A game. We have to. And I'm sure that's kind of what they were thinking on the other sideline, like, all right, well, Drew can win. He can do what he got to do. So we got to bring our A game. But, you know, Tom, I mean, I watched Tom from when I was growing up to being in the league.

Starting point is 00:31:40 My rookie year, I played against Tom and watched him and was like, oh, my gosh, this dude, like, he can do whatever he want. Like, they can do whatever they want with the ball. But especially in that situation, I mean, you in a divisional game against arguably one of the best quarterbacks that have ever played the game. And that has shown year in and year out why he has how many rings he has. You know, so it's just one of those things where you know what you're playing, you know what you're up against. So, you know, any mistake that's made, you know,

Starting point is 00:32:16 it's going to be detrimental to the outcome that you want. Are you surprised that he's playing this well this long? I mean, it's about to be year 20, what, 22? And here he is just coming off a Super Bowl, seventh Super Bowl win. I mean, you're like, okay, yeah, I'm playing. Can you imagine yourself being as good as you are right now 17 years from now? Man, I don't know. I got to talk to him.

Starting point is 00:32:44 I seen what Drew did, so I'm like, okay, I got a good idea. I might got 20 of me, but I might have to talk to Tom and get his secrets too because that dude, he got it figured out, man. He playing. I don't know, Alvin. I think running back, they take too many hits. They don't protect you like they protect the quarterback. I know.

Starting point is 00:33:02 I might have to switch the slot or something. Like, right when my running back need to run out, I might have to be like, hey, I can play a little slot. Y'all just – minimum, I got you. Okay. Alvin, you grew up in – like I said, you grew up in the Atlanta era, Norcross. No, I didn't grow up in Norcross.

Starting point is 00:33:19 I'm from Atlanta. Oh, so you – okay. Because that's how we do it. That's how we do it. You know, if anybody look up from Atlanta, you might be from us. You got to go to a hospital. He was born at and everything. I'm a great baby all the way. Hey, you're a great baby. Okay. Okay. So you really from day you you rep it a hard. Mm-hmm. You'll let you see your year. You do what you did. You win the state title.

Starting point is 00:33:46 What is the process? Okay, you had every college in the country wanting Alvin Kamara. Yeah. How did you decide that you were going to the University of Alabama knowing that there are probably three, four, five other five-star recruits that's going there to play your position? I was looking at that time. I was looking at it. I said, man, this is where the best running backs go.

Starting point is 00:34:09 In that year, 2013, I'm just talking about that's the history of Bama for running backs. I was like, that's where the best running backs go. 2013, the best running backs in my class are going there. I was like, shoot, I'm about to go. I'm about to show why I'm the best running back, too.

Starting point is 00:34:23 But at the time, I'm 17 years old. I'm like, I'm about to go. And I'm about to, so while I'm the best running back too, but at the time I'm 17 years old, I'm like, I'm going to take championship, I'm balling. I'm like, man, I'm about to go and bust this open. Not thinking, it's seven of us in this room. It's one football. And it's 10 games. What are we going to do? You know, so we get there and it's me, Tyron Jones,

Starting point is 00:34:42 Alty Tempene, rest in peace to him. That's my brother, Alty Tempene, rest in peace to him, that's my brother, Alty Tempendi, and Derrick Henry, all in the same class. Not to mention T.J. Yeldon, Kenyon Drake, Jocelyn Fowler, and D. Hart, that's already there. So we get in the room, we get to the first running back meeting, and Coach Burns, Burton Burns, I love him to death, even though he was on my ass every day at Belmont. We looking around, and me and Alty like, man, we stupid as hell.

Starting point is 00:35:07 What are we doing? What have we done got ourselves into? Yeah, I'm like, man, what are we doing? Like, we thought it was cool, and now we're here. We realizing, like, okay, one, two, three, four. And nobody's a slouch in there. Everybody that was in that room played in the NFL. You know what I'm saying?

Starting point is 00:35:26 Like, so, Derrick's still – Derrick balling right now. Kenya's still – I mean, like, all of us had real talent. So, you know. So, you didn't look at it. You're like, okay, yeah, I'm coming off a state championship. But so did he, he, he, he. Yeah. Oh, man, I had 2,200 yards.

Starting point is 00:35:43 Yeah, but he had 2,500. He had four – Derrick had 4,000. Derrick had 10, he. Oh, I bet I had 2,200 yards. Yeah, but he had 2,500. He had four, Derrick had 4,000. Derrick had 10,000. 82,000, like, you know what I'm saying? But, you know, in hindsight, I was just like, man, I want to be the best version of me. So I'm going to go where the best is, that we know where the best are going.

Starting point is 00:36:00 But, you know, in reality, it's like, it's only so many, it's only so much that can be done within that framework. You know, everybody can't touch the ball. And, you know, I mean, ultimately, I ended up transferring and going to junior college. It was partly some of that, partly immaturity on my end. Right. Because, you know, I'm 17 years old, fresh out of high school. I got to campus. I graduated and got to campus two days later. And I was I was in it. I'm in college. I'm, you know, never been hurt before in high school. I've always been, you know, the top

Starting point is 00:36:30 dog. And now I'm like, it's not a, I was a pit bull around, so I was in high school. Now it's all pit bulls and some of the pit bulls are bigger than me. You know what I'm saying? So like, I'm still barking, but I'm like, okay, I I gotta bark a little bit louder or I gotta do a little bit more and then you know ended up getting injured during camp and kind of didn't really know how to deal with that I'm just like my mind my mind was immature and you know I did a lot of immature things and so me and coach Saban are close to this day you know maybe not as close when I was there because of, you know, how I dealt with things and Coach Burns and Coach Smart, you know, those are my three main guys. And, you know, we laugh and joke about it today, but back then it was like,

Starting point is 00:37:12 I just kind of went into like a forget everybody mode and, you know, it was just immaturity. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news, previews, recaps, and analysis delivered straight to your podcast feed by the time you get your coffee. No dumb hot takes here, just smart hot takes.

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Starting point is 00:38:17 Had you stayed in Alabama, do you believe your career would have turned out like it did, like it has? I don't think so because I learned a lot from leaving Alabama. You know, I'm not even talking about football-wise. Okay. I'm just talking about, like, I learned myself. I learned a lot about myself, and I learned a lot about how to interact

Starting point is 00:38:37 with other people, and I learned a lot about how to deal with certain situations. I just learned a lot about life. Like, you know, when I left Alabama, I went home. I mean, nobody really know. I was done. I was about to be done with football. I was like, I'm about to go back home and just do whatever.

Starting point is 00:38:50 Like, I'm gonna just kick it. You know, and I did that for, I left in January 3rd. I left Alabama January 3rd. Like February, I went a month. I had that Pell Grant. I made sure I got that Pell Grant. I gotta get that. I gotta get that before I get up out of here yeah I said yo I'm gonna get into a little 5k and figure something out January go by and 5k running up February I'm like okay I'll make a

Starting point is 00:39:17 little something shake but then I'm like oh we can't I gotta figure something out I get I get it I take it like an official visit to clemson i'm like i'm kind of just slow playing everything i'm like man i'm good i'm not just going off what i just dealt with like just mentally it was a lot it was taxing and you know i'm thinking about like man how could i dealt with it better but still at that point i'm like man whatever whatever i get arrested in february like february, 15th. And I'm sitting in the back of the cop car and the cop like, you ain't no damn role model.

Starting point is 00:39:50 You ain't nothing, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah. And I'm like, that's that like moment of realization and you like, what am I doing? Oh, so the cop knew who you were? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cop knew who I was. He like, man, you ain't nothing. You ain't nobody looking up to you.

Starting point is 00:40:09 Man, nobody even knows you still play football blah blah blah so I'm just back there listening and I'm like damn but it's like 11 o'clock at night I get to the jail I ain't get processed to like I ain't get processed and booked everything till like 4 a.m and that same cop stood in there and was pointing that point every time they wouldn't even they was just moving me from cell to cell wasn't even processing me. He just pointing like, yeah, there go that boy out and like he ain't shit. So I'm just sitting there. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Starting point is 00:40:35 I'm already at my lowest. You already got me behind these bars. You ain't got to keep on doing this till the end. You know, so I'm just like at that point, then I'm like, really, I just went, I went straight to Atlanta. I'm like, man, I got the money in my pocket to bail out there, y'all got me, nah, nah, nah. But then I had to sit back and be like,

Starting point is 00:40:51 yo, what is that, where is that gonna get me? It's not getting me nowhere. I can't do that situation. I called my mom. Mom wasn't mad. She was just like, what you gonna do? Like, you know, she come and bail me out. And we took that ride home and she like, I'm not mad at you, like, what you going to do? Like, you know, she come and bail me out. And we took that ride home.

Starting point is 00:41:07 And she's like, I'm not mad at you. Like, what you, but, you know, you've got to figure something out. Next day I called, I called, I called Clemson. I'm like, all right, cool. I'm about to just, let me get out of here. I got to go. I just got to get back on track. They like, ah, nah, you know, I done got arrested.

Starting point is 00:41:22 There's news. Nah, we're not going to take you. You know, you can go to JUCO and, you know, I done got arrested. There's news, it done hit. Nah, we're not gonna take you. You know, you can go to JUCO and, you know, we might take you after you leave JUCO. So I feel some type of way, I'm like, man, damn, damn. They just want me blah, blah. I'm like, man, okay. So Hutchinson Community College have been calling me this whole time

Starting point is 00:41:38 from when I leave Bama to when I'm at home, like to this, up to this point. And I'm like, I'm not going to no JUCO. Like, I can't, what, I'm gonna go to a JUCO. That's a long way from home, cause that's, I'm saying that, like, to this, up to this point. And I'm like, I'm not going to no Juco. Like, I can't, I'm going to go to a Juco. That's a long way from home, because that's Kansas, right? Kansas, yeah. Hutchinson Community College. I'm like, man, I'm not going to that, especially not Kansas.

Starting point is 00:41:52 I said, bro, I'm from Atlanta. Like, what am I doing in Kansas? It's snowing. So I got to humble myself at this point. I'm like, I called, I called, daddy is brown. He was a coach at Hutch while I was there. I called him. I called, I called, the daddy is brown. He was a coach at, at Hutch while I was there. Call him. I said, hey coach, y'all still,

Starting point is 00:42:10 y'all take me? He said, come on. He said, when can you get here? It's the 15th now. Now it's the 16th. He like, the 18th. I'm on a plane to Kansas that Thursday. And then the rest is history.

Starting point is 00:42:24 Never look back. Never look back. Never look back. Okay, you spent one year at Hutch. Yeah. So what made you decide to go to Tennessee? So I think for me, going to Tennessee, I just, it was more of a, I didn't want to go to UGA. I kind of, I didn't want to be at home.

Starting point is 00:42:44 Right. With me, I was like, all right, I'm going to take this time. I'm going to kind of look around and see what I want to do. I want to go back to the SEC for me personally because I was like, you know, people like, well, he couldn't handle the SEC. He couldn't do this. So it was like, for me, I was like, let me weigh my options. Which one of these SEC schools I'm going to go to and just make it happen?

Starting point is 00:43:06 And, you know, I had a couple friends at Tennessee at the time. So I was like, you know what? I'm about to go to Tennessee. And that was it. And plus Tennessee was going to get a chance to play Alabama. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. We definitely got a chance to play Alabama. We did that.

Starting point is 00:43:23 So you go to Tennessee. Things work out well for you. You go to the combine. You do what you do. The Saints call. What's going through your mind? Man, I'm like, this is a perfect situation. I'm like, this is perfect.

Starting point is 00:43:43 I got Sean Payton. I'm thinking back. I'm like, all perfect I got Sean Payton like I'm thinking I'm thinking back I'm like all right Darren Sproles Reggie Bush like I got Drew Brees you know this is like ideal for me because of the style that I see myself playing in like right it fits that mold so you know obviously too I get to New Orleans and Sean's vision for what my vision was, was in line times a million. So I'm like, now I got to learn all this. And then the rest is history, man. Like, you know, that goes back to talking about Drew and, you know,

Starting point is 00:44:17 just being in the position that I was in in New Orleans, that I've been able to be in in New Orleans and just blessed to, you know, have the impact that I've had. I mean, it's amazing. Let's go back to college for a second. You mentioned you had an injury. If you didn't have that injury and was forced to redshirt,

Starting point is 00:44:35 do you think things would have turned out differently? Because maybe you just had too much time on your hands. I did redshirt. I got the injury in camp. So I had a lot of time to think about everything. I was like, man, I'm like, oh, my gosh. Did you think you were good enough to play? Or were you upset that you redshirted?

Starting point is 00:44:55 Yeah, I think I was definitely good enough to play. And, you know, now that I'm looking back older, I definitely had the ability to play. But just immature me, the way I dealt and handled that situation, it completely cut me out of being able to. Oh, so that's what it was. So you was upset that they redshirted you. That started you on the road to immaturity.

Starting point is 00:45:19 Yeah, it was that. It was like, it was, you know, okay, you're injured. Rehab and come back and, you know, try to get back and we'll get you back in the rotation. And you know how that goes. It's like, you're injured, you got to get back in. You know, the game don't stop. And they ain't give you that love once you're injured.

Starting point is 00:45:36 It's like that NFL. You know, they don't give you that love when you're injured because you can't. You know, so I'm coming from high school. I'm in the med. I ain't never got hurt, nothing. So now I'm hurt. I'm expecting, like, okay, well, they're going to work with me.

Starting point is 00:45:49 I'm going to rehab and I'm going to be right back in it. Nah. It's up and going now. I got healthy, like, maybe right before the first game or second game. So, you know, it's in stone at that point. Yeah. So, yeah., it's in stone at that point. Yeah. So, yeah. What was Coach Saban like?

Starting point is 00:46:08 I talked to Devontae, Devontae Smith, last week. What's Coach Saban like? Man, Coach Saban, he's an intense dude. But a lot of people, I think, get Coach Saban, that they misinterpret Coach Saban. I tell people this every time. I say, Coach Saban is worried about one thing, and that's winning. And that's why he wins.

Starting point is 00:46:32 If it doesn't have anything to do with winning, he's not concerned with it. And that's not personal. It's nothing personal. And I had to realize that when I was from being there, then leaving, and growing up and like, it wasn't nothing against me that he had. It was, I was- Allen, you can't help me win right now.

Starting point is 00:46:52 So why are you like that? You can't help me win. You're not trying to help yourself help me win. Right. So that you can't help me win right now is about availability being injured. So, you know, you rehab, you come back, you work yourself into the rotation, you do what you being injured so you know you rehab you come back you you get you work yourself into the rotation you do what you're doing you know but doing the wrong thing is not

Starting point is 00:47:10 gonna help me win and it's actually it's actually annoying me right you know what i'm saying so i was doing a lot of things that coach saban i i think he he was ready he was he was like man i'm on the verge of getting rid of this dude, you know? And, um, So is that, is that, so you, you buttoned heads with coach Saban? Yeah. He suspended you and sent you home for the bowl game, right? Yeah. I got, cause I buttoned heads with coach Burns and running back coach at the time

Starting point is 00:47:37 too. So buttoned heads, buttoned heads. So they suspended me. And that was, I mean, it was just, like I said, and I take full responsibility. It was immaturity. It wasn't nothing about coach Saban not liking me, coach Burns they suspended me. And that was it. I mean, it was just, like I said, and I take full responsibility. It was immaturity. It wasn't nothing about Coach Saban not liking me, Coach Burns not liking me. It was completely my fault. I was doing stuff that was like... So what is it? Are you Tennessee?

Starting point is 00:47:56 Because it seemed like you talk more about Bama than you do Tennessee. I mean, so what's going on? That's where the journey begun. You know what I'm saying? That's where the journey began. I'm both. I'm both, you know, I'm both, I think. But, you know, I ended at UT, so I got to go UT. But, you know, whenever, you know, some Bama dudes be like, oh, yeah, you went to Bama, you started at Bama, it's roadside.

Starting point is 00:48:15 I give them a little roadside and keep it moving. So do you ever go back to Bama? No, I don't really go back to Tuscaloosa. But, you know, I'm still close with all everybody autumn news and everybody that I that I that kind of came before me a little bit in that area and that range when I was visiting and then the news obviously that I played with. You and you go. What's it like going to Juco?

Starting point is 00:48:40 I mean, I mean, I played with a lot of guys that went to Juco some with the Hutchinson. A lot of went to the schools in Mississippi, Etiwamba, Hines, you know, all those schools. You know what I'm talking about. They have Isleworth out in Iowa, you know, Taft out here in California. So I'm familiar. So they say it's bad.

Starting point is 00:48:58 They say it's pretty bad. Yeah. It's bad. It's exactly like everybody's seen Last Chance U and they're like, man, it's so real. Like, that's a man. It's a. It's bad. It's bad. It's bad. It's exactly like everybody seen last chance you and they like, man, it's so real. Like that's a man, this TV show. I said, nah, that's really what it like, it's really what it is.

Starting point is 00:49:12 And then I'm coming from the, I'm coming from like. The top juco. I'm coming from the top. I'm not just coming from D1. I'm coming from the D1 school. Right. Like shoot, somebody might tie your shoe

Starting point is 00:49:24 if it come and lose. Right. I'll from Alabama. Like, shoes, somebody might tie your shoe if it come unloosed. I'll get to Kansas and I'm like fighting for scraps. I'm like, yo, what is going on here? Like, it's not nothing for you. Nothing is given to you at all. You gotta work for every single thing. And I think that experience was like so humbling and like, it was humbling.

Starting point is 00:49:44 And it was at the same time, it was like, man, why me? But then at the same time, it was gratifying because I was able to like endure and overcome everything that happened to me there. And, you know, come out the other side even better than I came in. Is, did anybody, did any of your teammates say, man, man, what the hell you doing here?

Starting point is 00:50:02 How the hell you leave Alabama to come here? Hell yeah. All of them, they was like, man, what are you doing? Are you stupid? I'm like, man, man, what the hell you doing here? How the hell you leave Alabama to come here? Yeah. It was like, man, what are you doing? Are you stupid? I'm like, man, a lot of stuff happened. I was immature. I was hurt. It was like, man, I would have just stayed.

Starting point is 00:50:12 I don't care. I would have just rehabbed. I was just, I'm like, nah, it was like, you know, it's a lot, a lot of, the Juco thing for me was like a personal journey. It was like, okay, I need to go do this and grow up a little bit. That 2017 draft, Leonard Ford Nance in that draft, a personal journey. It was like, okay, I need to go do this and grow up a little bit. That 2017 draft, Leonard Fournette's in that draft, Christian McCaffrey's in that draft, Dalvin Cook's in that

Starting point is 00:50:31 draft, Joe Mixon is in that draft. And you're like, okay, you size these guys up. Now, hold on. Me and Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, we all, you know, we all, Joe Mixon, we about the same size. Leonard Fournette, a little taller, a little heavier. But, hey, I hold my own.

Starting point is 00:50:47 I'm doing this in the SEC. So, what's up? I mean, Fournette off the board first. And then C-Mac, I played with his dad. Then Dalvin, Joe Mixon. Like, hold on. Whoa, whoa. Y'all just going to overlook your boy?

Starting point is 00:51:05 Yeah, man. So, a'all just going, oh, look, your boy? Yeah, man. So a lot of people asked me about that, and I was like, you can ask, like, anybody around me that's close to me. I was never really worried about my position, my draft, you know, the stock of it. You know, I wasn't worried about, like, oh, he's projected to go. Because I was projected to go first round. Right.

Starting point is 00:51:23 After my combine, I killed the combine. I was like, oh, man, he's helped himself. You know, he to go first round. Right. After my combine, I killed the combine. I was like, oh, man, he's helped himself. You know, he might go first round. He might go second round. He might go. I was like, man, I'm not into predicting nothing, though. I'm like, yo, I had my mom, my brother, and, like, a couple of my friends, my sister, we was just watching.

Starting point is 00:51:39 They wouldn't go by. I'm not off. They're like, man, it's okay, man. They should have dragged you. I'm like, man, where we going? Y'all want to go out? I'm still celebrating. They're like, man, it's okay, man. They should have drafted you. I'm like, man, where we going? Y'all want to go out? I'm still celebrating because I'm like, man, I done worked so hard to get

Starting point is 00:51:49 to this point. I'm like celebrating everything that's like happened to me from family to Hutch to, and just to be able to be in that position of being on the TV. Like, yeah, this kid, he could be, he could go any day from one to, any round from one to two to three. Like, I'm just blessed to be in the conversation.

Starting point is 00:52:06 I'm cool. A lot of dudes, like you mentioned, the Davids and the Christians and the Lennards, they put in a lot more work than me as far as their college careers went. They had a full body of work, and it was a consistent body of work. Me, I had to, you know, I kind of had to do a little hokey-pokey and turn around and do what I had to do. But, you know nonetheless still blessed so you know they took the round two goes and then you know it was some rumblings like I

Starting point is 00:52:31 might get drafted in the second round I might don't happen I'm like man I'm good like you know people checking on you you know how that go people checking on you like man man you better than da da da it's like okay it's not about that. It just, you know, it is what it is. It got to fall out. It got to happen how it got to happen. You know, so then the third round comes, and, you know, I'm looking at it, and 504 number calling.

Starting point is 00:52:54 I'm like, hello? Like, hey, Alvin, it's Sean Payton, da-da-da. I'm like, oh, yeah, okay, we're done. We're off the board. With the third, with the 67th pick in the 2017 nfl draft the new orleans saints is like i'm coming running back tennessee i'm like finally i'm not even i'm i'm cool like i'm i was content i was fine i'm like finally everybody can stop talking about you should have been this round and that round like all right i was the third round third pick it's done now it's time to get

Starting point is 00:53:21 to work i what i tell young guys is not how high you go. It's where you go. You could have went higher and not gone to someone that their offensive mind is like Sean Payton. You could have gone somewhere that they don't have a Drew Brees. And so now Alvin Kamara goes somewhere and they don't use him like the Saints use him to showcase all of his ability. Not only his rushing ability, but also his receiving ability out of the backfield.

Starting point is 00:53:49 We'll line him up in the slot. We'll put him out wide. Oh, y'all put a safety on him? We're throwing the ball. Y'all put a linebacker on him? We damn sure going to throw him the ball. So it wasn't how high you went. It was where you went that ultimately gave you an opportunity to show what you could

Starting point is 00:54:03 really do. Exactly. And that was the most important thing for me. Like we talked about earlier, it's like once I know I'm with Sean Payton, Drew Brees, and I'm like, oh, yeah, it's the perfect situation. I can't beat it. Right. Now it's up to me to take advantage.

Starting point is 00:54:18 What was the first thing you purchased? What was your first big purchase? I still ain't had a first big purchase, really. You ain't bought nothing? You ain't bought no Range? You ain't bought no G-Wagon? You ain't bought no Ferrari? I ain't spent a dollar of football money. I ain't touched none of it.

Starting point is 00:54:35 Oh! What, you riding a bicycle? Yeah, I mean, so I think the most money I spent was probably building that juice bar. Okay. And that wasn't really nothing. That was like 50 cents.

Starting point is 00:54:50 But you know you got to buy mom something. Mom didn't want anything? Mom's got a crib, but I didn't. She still, I'm renting a crib. My mom's so indecisive. She's like, I want to buy a house. I want to live in Canada. I want to live here.

Starting point is 00:55:02 I'm like, Mom, where you want to live? So she's still all over the place. So I'm like, okay, I'm saving a couple dollars right there. But no, I haven't, man,

Starting point is 00:55:09 I don't, I live simple, dog. I just, you know, take care of what I got to take care of. You know. Well,

Starting point is 00:55:16 okay then, you ain't living simple. You got a grill. You got several grills. Yeah. I had one from college, the gold one, that was $300 from JJ Jewelry down at Underground

Starting point is 00:55:27 Mall in Atlanta. I know about that. And I got the diamond one. Yeah. Yeah, I got the diamond one, but I ain't have to do nothing. I ain't have to do too much with it. So you ain't gonna get no pink diamond like Uzi Vert? You ain't finna put one in between your head?

Starting point is 00:55:35 I don't know about that one. Shout out to Uzi Vert for doing that. I guess, you know, that's to each his own. You know, you got that. Yep, you might have a little bit too much money, you know, that's Eric to each his own. You know, you got that. Yep, you might have a little bit too much money if you take a dime and stick it on your forehead.

Starting point is 00:55:49 Yeah, yeah. He said he was paying for that for a couple of years. I don't know. Yeah. So, moving forward, how do – do you want to run – carry the ball more? Because right now, you know, they throw it to you, but would you like to say, you know what, let me get 250 carries.

Starting point is 00:56:06 Let me see how many yards I could actually get. I don't care about all that, man. I'm about, I think the touches count more. Like, you know, if I get, if we talk about X running back getting 20 carries and having 150 yards and a touchdown, and we talking about me having 10 carries and then 10 catches and I'm having 200 all-purpose and three touchdowns. I mean, I'd rather the 10 catches and the 10 carries all day

Starting point is 00:56:33 than the 20 carries. Let's talk about that six-touchdown game because I was upset because you were right there at five and I really thought you should have had seven because they let, I think Taysom ran one in. I was like, man, this is a bull job. Man, y'all know that man got five touchdowns could get six.

Starting point is 00:56:53 And then when they let him get, and they let you get six, I was ticked off because you should have had the record. You should have got seven. Yeah, I should have had it. You know, I'm gonna let you send a letter to Sean and talk to him. I came up and Emmanuel Sanders is like, man, he's talking to Sean on the sideline.

Starting point is 00:57:11 He's like, man, that's messed up, Sean. You messed up. He's like, what? He's like, man, it can't be one more. He's like, what? He's like, oh, I didn't know. And then Taysom came to me. He was like, man, I'm sorry.

Starting point is 00:57:21 Nah, you sure you sorry. You knew it. You should have just turned around and said, nah, we're going to hand this ball off to Alvin. I'll fire up. Yeah. That's so good. Did you, did you know, did you know going into that game?

Starting point is 00:57:34 Because sometimes, you know, you have a big game, you could feel like, man, okay, this is going to be my day. I'm going to have a good game today. Was there anything different about that game? I just felt good. I felt good at the beginning of the game. I usually turn, like, I'll say something to Drew or I'll say something to Latavius

Starting point is 00:57:49 or anybody like Mike or Demar. I'm like, I feel good. It's time. Whatever they say back, I'm like, man, I feel good. I'm going to go crazy. So we get in the game. I get one. I'm like, oh, yeah. I feel real. I feel too good. I go to the sideline. I tell Son. I said, I feel too good. I said, give me the ball. He said, all right. All right. I'm going to keep giving it to you. I get one. I'm like, oh, yeah. Like, I feel real. I feel too good. I go to the sideline. I tell Son, I said, I feel too good. I said, give me the ball.

Starting point is 00:58:06 He said, all right. All right. I'm gonna keep giving it to you. I get a second touchdown. I'm like, OK, hold on. I feel like I feel real good. I go to my RB coach. I got to go. Joe Thomas. I'm like, JT, what's the record for touchdowns? And he's like, hold on. Let me figure out. So we go back out for another drive. I score another touchdown. I come back and he's like, the on, let me figure out. So we go back out for another drive. I score another touchdown. I come back, and he's like, the record's six. So I'm like, bro, it's not even halftime yet, and I got three. I said, I might break the record. So he's like, let's go.

Starting point is 00:58:33 So I'm talking to Sean. I'm like, hey, don't get scared. I was like, you always talking about giving somebody the ball. Give me the ball. He said, I'll bring it to you tired. He said, you going to tap out? He said, just tap out. I'm like, I ain't going to tap out.

Starting point is 00:58:44 So he's like, all right, I'm going to give you the ball. So four, five, and he going to do that and put Taysom in and take my six. I'm like, all right, I'm on the sideline. I'm like, man, it's Christmas. But you all slow too. So I did, cause I know you like so close. I'm having one of these games.

Starting point is 00:58:58 I haven't told my RB coach before the half, oh, I'm going to get that record. Yeah, yeah. I told him, I'm like, I'm going to get it. He likes, come on, let's do it. So I'm like, bet. So we running the ball, running the half, oh, I'm going to get that record. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I told him. I'm like, I'm going to get it. He's like, come on, let's do it. So, I'm like, bet. So, we running the ball, running the ball. Get the sixth one.

Starting point is 00:59:10 Taysom get the sixth one. So, I'm at five. I'm like, man, whatever, man. We blessed Christmas. We whooping it. We killing them on TV or whatever. It's cool. So, then I guess they – something.

Starting point is 00:59:19 I forgot what happened. I think we got a turnover. Yeah, we got a turnover. We got a turnover. Then ball to Adam Troutman. He's running down the sideline. forgot what happened. I think we got a turnover. Yeah, we got a turnover. Then Adam Troutman, he's running down the sideline, running down the sideline like 40. I'm happy. I love Trout, but he get tackled on the one yard

Starting point is 00:59:34 line. I'm like, yes! I love him though. I love Trout, but I'm like, yes! So I'm like, go! I'm like, oh yeah, let's get it. I said, I'm about to get the sixth one. So I get in there and get the sixth one and that's, you know, that's a snowflake and that's when I tie the record. But I'm like, oh yeah, let's get it. I said, I'm about to get the sixth one. So I get in there and get the sixth one and that's, you know, that's a snowflake and that's when I tie the record. But I'm like, damn, I could have had seven.

Starting point is 00:59:50 Oh, you had seven all day. You know what? But just your luck, you'd have got that sixth one and Trout would have ran into the end zone. He wouldn't have stopped. So it was meant for you to get the title record and not break it. Everything always turned out how it's supposed to.

Starting point is 01:00:03 That's what I like, man. I can't even complain. What inspired you to get the nose ring? You know what? And I've had it since like 2014. 2013, 2014. I just, one day I was just like, man, I don't know, I'm just about to do something.

Starting point is 01:00:18 Cause I had the, you know, the one. Right, you had the one, yeah. I had the one nostril and I was like, everybody around me started getting it and i'm like what the hell i'm like hey y'all come up with something like do something like come up with something i'm like i know something they're not gonna do so me and my boy we go to the we go to the piercing shop and i go in there and the lady's like yeah what do you want pierce i'm like i want to accept them and she's she started laughing at me and i was like no i'm

Starting point is 01:00:43 dead serious like i want to set them she's like yeah whatever, I'm dead serious. Like I'm gonna set them. She's like, yeah, whatever. So I'm like, all right, come on. So she starts, she's like, all right, I'll just go through it. I know you're not gonna go through with it. Boom, pierced my nose. She's like, wow, are you serious?

Starting point is 01:00:53 I'm like, yeah. I was like, man, it's something new. Like I gotta come up with something new. Man. Did it hurt? Hell yeah. You cried, didn't you? You cried.

Starting point is 01:01:02 You cried a little bit. I wasn't actively crying. It was passive tears. Yeah, you might've been passing tears in the shot, but you boohooed in the car. That hurt. That hurt, man. I'm telling you it hurt,

Starting point is 01:01:14 but I don't know, it was just something different. Like I was like, man, I'm gonna do, like, it was me. It wasn't like forced, it was still me. Cause like, that's kind of, I do stuff like that, but. Right. That was like the most, I was like, yeah, this is kind of I do stuff like that but right that was that was like the most I was like yeah this is kind of this extreme man so so what so you gonna get anything else okay the saints win the super bowl you getting a tattoo a super bowl tattoo you getting something pierced what what what what you're gonna do to mark that occasion thanks Saints win the Super Bowl.

Starting point is 01:01:47 Man, people think I'm wild now. Y'all been mad. Y'all seen JR Smith on that float. Ah! It's gonna be bad with Sioux. Send me a couple of bottles of Hennessy and some Miles and we good. Hey, that ain't gonna be, you know what? No, no, no, no, no, no,

Starting point is 01:02:03 cause that be Ron Mardi. Y'all win the Super Bowl, that be Ron Mardi Gras time. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no What led you to do that? My sister was in the fashion when I was younger. I'm talking about piles of magazines, fashion magazines, just everything. She kind of got me into it. As I got older, I was just more and more like I was able to create my own style. I was in tune with it, so I just kept it going. You're a sneakerhead, too. able to create my own style and I was in tune with it. So I just kept it going and now it's just, it's like a body. You a sneaker head too.

Starting point is 01:02:49 Yeah, I wouldn't call myself a sneaker head, but I do indulge in sneakers. So what's your favorite sneaker? My favorite sneaker? Yeah. I think for my foot, like the most comfortable shoe that I throw on like and I'm like, I could wear them every day. Just a Jordan 3, any variation of it.

Starting point is 01:03:12 Yeah, it's hard to beat the 3. I like the 3, I like the 11. I like the 5s. I like the 4s. I like the 1s. I think the 3 is the one though that's the one so you're really a mid guy because the three is it's hard to beat the three it's hard to beat it it's versatile

Starting point is 01:03:36 you can wear it with a suit you can wear it with jeans you can wear it with shorts it's hard to mess up the three that's what they don't know, you know? So your fashion, your sense, the piercing, give me a comparison, somebody in the NBA that style and remind you of Alvin.

Starting point is 01:04:01 I don't know, I don't really watch basketball, so I ain't really into it. You ain't into hoop like that? No, I don't really watch basketball. I ain't really. You ain't in the hoop like that? I ain't really into basketball. God, hey. You give me a comparison. I don't know. You give me a comparison. I don't know. I mean, you right with that J.R. Smith, but. I'm going to have to get back to you on that one.

Starting point is 01:04:22 I'm going to have to think of that one. Take it with me. Who hit you the hardest? Because everybody wants to know. That's what I get. Man, who hit you the hardest in your career? Who hit me the hardest? I think both of them was cheap hits, though.

Starting point is 01:04:39 So, other than that. Oh, you talking about the Jalen Smith on Thursday night? Yeah, that one and Debo, D.R. Jones, my rookie year in Atlanta. Both of them I got concussed. I'm like, man, y'all ain't. And then Jalen, he really just went all out with it. Like he just crushed me.

Starting point is 01:04:59 I'm like, yo, it was helmet to helmet. You know, they was running that. Like he'd post some pictures of people sending it to me. I me i'm like man he can't touch me other than that when you hear people say the running back position they devalue the running back you can just get anybody and just plug him in and they can do this they can do that how does that make you feel i don't feel no type of way i think i just i don't really talk too much i just show it so and I'm happy that it's some other dudes in the league from Dalvin's and Christian's and Aaron Jones

Starting point is 01:05:30 and Derek's that are kind of like showing it too. It's like it's funny. It's like the timing of it that you know, these got like Christian got his check. I got to check Derek is getting his money like we showing that you know, okay you can you could throw anybody at any position.

Starting point is 01:05:46 Don't mean they're going to do it good. You know what I'm saying? You're going to do it to an elite level. If we're talking about good, great, elite, and superstars, you know what I'm saying? It's pay grades to this. It's levels to this. Yeah, it's levels to it. So, you know, the pay got to match.

Starting point is 01:06:04 So, if another dude can do it,'s levels to it. So, you know, I mean, the pay got to match. So, if another dude can do it, let him do it. Obviously, that's not the world. That's not realistic. That's not the world we live in. I got a job to do, but it's like, shit, show me. Find me to do it. I'm looking at your numbers, and if you were to do this, you'd be only the fourth guy.

Starting point is 01:06:20 Roger Craig did it. Thousand rush, thousand receiver. Marshall Falk did it. Thousand rush, thousand receiver. Christian McCaffrey did it, 1,000 rush, 1,000 receiver. Christian McCaffrey. You've come close a couple times. You had 728 rush yards this year, 826 receiving. You had 932 last year, 756. And your rookie year, you had 720 at 826.

Starting point is 01:06:39 Yeah. What would that mean to get 1,000, 1,000 to join that elite company? Yeah, it would be dope. You know what I'm saying? Like, I, and I, it's so crazy cause I never look at, I've never really looked during the season. I don't really be looking at numbers. I'm just like, man, let's go. I'm trying to turn up as much as I can, get as many touches as I can get as many touchdowns as I can, whatever that looks like. So, um, I mean, it would definitely,

Starting point is 01:07:01 it would definitely be a good company, obviously. And then it's like, only when you say, anytime you say only these people did it, it's not a lot of people, you know what I'm saying? It's dope to just be in that category of like, one of the only that did something. Well, I know something you know about you. If you from the age, you Grady, baby.

Starting point is 01:07:20 So you know something about the rap community. Yeah, a little bit. Okay, I want you to give me your Mount Rushmore rappers, Atlanta rappers. Mount Rushmore. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about now. Since you don't watch basketball, you know something about

Starting point is 01:07:36 the rap scene in the eight. Man. Okay. Okay. If we just talk, if we talk about, like you said, Mount Rushmore, we talking about Pioneer music, the music scene in Atlanta. I'll go Outkast. Nah, you got to take one of them.

Starting point is 01:07:57 Why can't I? There ain't no group. I'll take Big Boy. Andre. I like Andre. I like Andre. But I Andre is... I like Andre. I like Andre, but I'm just talking about that... We talking about still that fit the mold of Atlanta. I love

Starting point is 01:08:11 Andre. Okay, okay, okay. That's why I said OutKast. I didn't want to pick one. Damn. I know. That's why I didn't let you do that because I wanted you to pick one. Uh-huh. Go ahead. I'm just going to say OutKast. I ain't going to let you do me like that. OutKast.

Starting point is 01:08:26 I got Gucci. Okay. Yeah. I got T.I. Okay. Who you got? You looking at it like you got something written down. I ain't got nothing.

Starting point is 01:08:38 I'm just down here just looking. I had to put a space in there, so then I'm going to put Jeezy up there too. So you got Big Boy. I got Alcatraz. Okay, you got Alcatraz. You got Gucci. You got T.I. And who you got?

Starting point is 01:08:59 My guy, Jeezy. Okay. I mean, they had a bad group. I mean, I can't leave Luda off. I gotta keep Luda. I gotta bring Luda. I love Luda. You can't have a rep without Luda.

Starting point is 01:09:12 Okay, well, if I can't have OutKast alone, I mean, if I can't have OutKast as a group, then I'll just put Luda. I mean, you left, hmm, 2 Chainz got left off. Your homeboys, you left your homeboy, all your homeboys off. Yeah, I left – two chains got left off. Your home – you left your home – one of your home – all your homeboys off. Yeah, I left them all out because I was just – that's why I started off and I said, who pioneered the rap game in Atlanta? Lil Baby.

Starting point is 01:09:34 Yeah, but I'm talking about – No, no, no, no, no. I'm talking about who came before him. Now we can say – we can – No, no, no, no. Mike Rushmore is not about – there are a lot of presidents that came before Abraham Lincoln. Yeah. They were – became – yeah, no, no, no, no, no. Mount Rushmore is not about, there are a lot of presidents that came before Abraham Lincoln. They were president, became, yeah, no, no, no, no, no.

Starting point is 01:09:49 That's how we do this. They were president before Kevin. You talking about all together, Eric. All encompassing. You know who your best. All encompassing. I got baby, I got boots. Man, that's tough, dog.

Starting point is 01:10:03 That's hard. That's hard. Because we got all the flavor, we got tough, dog. That's hard. That's hard. Because we got all the flavor. We got all the music. Well, for me, I'm going three stacks. I'm going TI. I'm going Luda. And I'm going Jeezy.

Starting point is 01:10:16 And I'm done with it. OK. Shoot, we right in line. We in the same room. Hey, Alvin, I really appreciate it. Appreciate what you're doing for the community. Appreciate your career. Much success. Continued.

Starting point is 01:10:28 And thanks for dropping by today. No doubt. I was going to say, appreciate you. All my life. Been grinding all my life. Sacrifice. Hustle paid the price. Want a slice.

Starting point is 01:10:39 Got the roll of dice. That's why. All my life. I've been grinding all my life. All my life. Been grinding all my life. Sacr life. Been grinding all my life. Sacrifice. Hustle paid the price.

Starting point is 01:10:48 Want to slice. Got to roll the dice. This is why all my life I've been grinding all my life. Wake up with football every morning and listen to my new podcast, NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal. Five days a week, you'll get all the latest news and the best analysis delivered by the time you get your coffee. The show hits every single game every single week,

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Club Shay Shay - Alvin Kamara

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